Combined grating and spray for refrigerator cars



June 14, 1927.

L. CRUNCLETON ET AL COMBINED GRATING AND SPRAY FOR RERIGERATOR GARS Filed June 29. 1926 Patented June 14, 1927.

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y 1,632,37a PATENT @grr-tic LAWRENCE CRUNCLE'ION .AND FRED Il. CRNCI'IETON, OFi-PHARR', p 'JEXLAS COMBINED GEATING"AND 'SPRAY FOB REFRG-ERATOR CARS.

i Application filed June 39,

The presentinvention relates to a cour bined grating and water spraying ior refrigerating cars.

The primary purpose ot our improved contrivance is to melt the ice out ot' the bunkers ot the common refrigerator cars now in use to reduce the tonnage in transit when returning the cars to their` initial loading point.

Another very important object ot the invention is the provision of a contrivance of this nature which will function as an ette cient and reliable grating, thereby eliminating the necessity ot the wooden grating now in common use.

Another very important object of the invention is to provide a contrivance oi this nature which is exceedingly simple in its construction, compact and convenient, capable ot' being placed in practically all refrigerator cars now in common use with little or no alteration therein, a contrivance which is capable oit being manufactured at a very low cost, and is otherwise well adapt-ed to the purpose for which it is designed.

1With the above and numerous other objects in view as will appear as the description proceeds, Athe invention resides in certain novel features of construction, and in the combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

In the ydrawing Figure l is an elevation of the contrivance embodying` the features of our invention, showing the same incorporated in a refrigerator car bunker, the latter being indicated in dotted lines, and

Fig'. 2 is a perspective view of the main portion of the contrivance'.

Referring to the drawing in detail, it will be seen that the numeral 5 designates a rectangular tubular frame, having a plurality of tubular cross members 6 attached thereto or formed integrally therewith. The frame 5 and the cross member G are provided with a plurality of spraying orilices 7 and 8 respectively which may be distributed as found necessary.

A pipe 9 rises from one corner ot the frame 5 and is adapted to pierce a suitable opening provided in the roof lof the car or in any other suitable point therein so that an extension 10 may be attached to a coupling 11 provided at the top of the pipe 9 1926. Serial No. 119,455.

for engaging the contrivance with a suitable source of water.

Referring particularly to the dotted line disclosure in Fig. l, it will be seen that we have illustrated the common form of bunker wherein a drain pan 11 is provided and the usual grab irons l2 are mounted on the outside ot the car and the hatches 14 and foot board 15 on the top thereof. The arrangement oic the contrivance may be understood by referring to Fig. l, wherein it is shown positioned in the bunker. All bunkers on the common refrigerator cars as is well known, are at the end of the car, one at each end. v

This space varies an inch or two on the different types, but there is no material ditference in any of them and the contrivance may be made of a standard size for all bunkers. This bunker space extends from the root of the car to the grating, which grating rests on approximately six by six sills, which in turn rest on another set of sills, making the top of the grating about eighteen inches from the bottom ot the car, otuside measurements. The depth oi the bunker is about six feet six inches at the center. rilhe width is Vabout thirty-two inches. The length is about eight feet two inches. rl'he wood gratings now in use are usually made ot oak lumber turned up sideways and spaced about two inches apart to prevent the piliering of the car. These gratings can be easily cut out or sprung, whereas with our contrivance therein, this will be made practically impossible.

With our grating and spray in place, either on top of. the old grating or with the old grating removed, the car can be iced and shipped, then when it is to be returned instead ot hauling the ice across the continent, a connection can be made to the pipe 9 as explained, and the water turned on so that the ice can be quickly melted out.

It is thought that the construction, operation, and utility ot this contrivance will now be clearly understood by those skilled in this art without a more detailed description thereof. rlhe present embodiment of the invention has been disclosed in detail merely by way of example since in actual lpractice it attains the features of advantage enumerated as desirable in the statement oi the invention and in the above description. It will be apparent that numerous changes In combination With the bunker of a rev frigerator ear, a combined grating and spray oontrivanee in the bottom thereof formed with a rectangular tubular frame having 'a piurality of tubes across the traine, and a pipe rising from the corner thereof7 said 15 Vtubes and frames being perforated.

Inv testimonyrwhereof We a'ix our signatures, l Y y Y LAWRENCE CRUNCLETON.

FRED L. CRUNCLETON. 

